Turpentine-still.



PATENTED DEC. 15', 1903.

W. H. KRUG. TURPENTINE STILL.

APPLIOATXON FILED 00121. 1903.

' 2 SHE ETSSHBBT 1.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATBNTED DEC. is, 1903.

.W..H. KRUG. TURPENTINB sTILL.

APPLIGATION FILED 00121, 1903.

No. 746.850. V

N0 MODEL.

UiTEn STATES Patented December 15, 1903.

PATE T OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. KRUG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD TUR- ,PENTINE OOMPANY, OF RALEIGH,

OF NORTH CAROLINA.

NORTH CAROLINA, A CORPORATION TURPENTINE=STILL.

' SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letterslatent No. 746,850, dated December 15, 1903.

Application filBd October 1, 1903.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. KRUG, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turpentine-Stills, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to turpentine-stills, and has for its object to improve and simplify the construction of such stills whereby they are enabled to be operated in an improved and economical manner; and to these ends my, invention consists in a still embodying the features of construction and having the mode of operation substantially as hereinafter more particularly set forth. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings,- wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, and Fig.' 3 is an end elevation of the still proper and connections.

My invention relates tostills, and especially to that class of stills adapted to be used for obtaining turpentine and other products from wood. In the usual process of distilling wood it is common to provide a closed retort into which the wood is placed and to supply thereto steam under pressure or steam in conjunction with external heat applied to the retort, and the volatile products of the distillation of the wood are carried away from the retort through, a proper pipe connected to a condenser or other apparatus for recovering the volatile products,while the non-volatile prodnets are withdrawn from the bottom of the still, where they collect during the process of distillation. In the usual construction and use of such stills great ditficulty has been found to exist in properly separating the turpentine from the other volatile products resulting from the destructive action of the heat upon the wood in the retort, and the result is that these other products,which result from a higher temperature of distillation, become mixed with the turpentine and render the product impure and difficult of purification. With such stills it has been found practically impossible to produce pure tur- Olll].

Serial No- 175386. (N0 model.)

and condensers and interfere with the pro- 'duction of pure turpentine. other things, to avoid these objections that It is, among my invention is made; and, stated generally,

it consists in providing the retort with two outlets for the volatile matter, which are adapted to be connected by suitable pipes to two different condensers, and one of these outlets is provided with an automatically-op,- crating valve or controlling device, while the other is provided with a manually-operated controlling device,and these and other details of the invention are arranged and cooperate together to accomplish the objects stated in substantially the manner hereinafter pointed Referring to the accompanying drawings, A represents a retort, which may be of any usual or desired construction and is provided with an inlet-pipe a for steam, and it is adapted to be set so as to utilize external heat in addition to the heat of the steam and is further provided with the usual openings and means for closing the same whereby the wood may be introduced into the retort. This retort is provided with an outlet 13, connected to a pipe B and adapted to be conuected with a suitable steam and turpentine condenser O. This pipe B is provided with an automatic valve B which maybe of any usual and proper construction and is shown in the form of a weighted valve wherein the weight b is adapted to be adjusted upon the lever or arm 17, controlling the valve proper. This pipe B is also provided with a man uallyoperated valve B which is normally open 0 during the operation of the still,but is adapted to be closed in case of accident or derangement orwhen it is otherwise desirable to do so. The still is further provided with a second outlet D, conmmunicating with the pipe D, leading to a second condenser E,which is adapted to condense the heavier products of distillation of the wood, which are impurities of the turpentine, and this pipe is provided with a suitable valve D which is shown as a manually-operated valve. These condensers O and E may be of any suitable construction, and, as shown, they consist of a series of pipes or tubes 0, extending between the chambers c 0 the former of which communicates with one of the pipes B or D and the latter of which is provided with a suitable controllable outlet 0 The condenser is also provided with suitable inlet and outlet pipes c c for the cooling or condensing medium, as water, so that the pipes or tubes 0 are surrounded by such cooling medium, which is allowed to flow continuously through the condenser in the usual way.

In practice 1 preferably use two retorts A, and the pipes B and D are branched and are connected with corresponding outlets in the two retorts and of course are provided inconnection with each with proper valves arranged substantially as indicated above, so that the operation can be practically continuous, as when one retort is being charged or discharged the other is in operation, and a practically continuous flow of volatile matters can be delivered to the condensers.

Such being the general arrangementand construction of the apparatus, it is manifest that the details may be varied without departing from the general spirit of the invention or changing the general mode of operation of the apparatus, such now being indicated. The retort being properly charged with the wood and steam being admittedthereto, the steam permeates and softens the wood, opening the cells and volatilizing the turpentine contained therein, which collects in the upper part of the retort mixed with the steam. During this process both of the valves B and D are closed, the former (the weighted valve) being adj usted so as to remain closed until the pressure in the retort arrives at the desired degree, when it will automatically be opened, the valve B as above indicated, being normally open. When the pressure in the retort arrives at the desired degree, which may vary according to the character of the wood and other things, the valve B automatically opens and the volatilized turpentine and steam pass through the pipe B to the condenser O, and this operation continues until practically all the turpentine is thus distilled from the wood. About this time the initial stage of production of the less volatile products or impurities of the turpentine commences, and it is exceedingly desirable to prevent their becoming mixed with the turpentine or being delivered to the condenser for condensing the turpentine, and so as soon as this time occurs or this step in the proceeding is reached the valve D is opened, which instantly reduces the pressure in the retort, and the valve B automatically closes, and then the impurities or less-volatile products of distillation. pass from the retort through the pipe D to the condenser E, where they are properly treated in a manner well understood. At or about this time the admission of steam to the retort is stopped and the further process of distillation can be and is carried out, preferably, by external heat applied to the retort. In this way and by the use of these two outlets and their connections, one of which is provided with an automatically-operated valve and the other of which is provided with a manually-operating valve, I am enabled to carry out the distillation of the wood in the manner indicated, so as to secure therefrom practically all of the turpentine and secure it in a practically pure condition unmixed with the impurities or other less-volatile matters and, further, avoid the objections due to the deposit of these impurities on the pipe and steam and turpentine condenser and at the same time permit a continuous operation of the distillation of the wood and preserve the less-volatile materials, which, while impurities of the turpentine, are in themselves of considerable value.

While the above-described construction and arrangement of parts is exceedingly simple, it has proven to be of great utility in the practical operation of the still in that by its use it is possible to distil and collect turpentine in a practically pure condition free from contamination with the other volatile products of the distillation.

Having thus described the general principles of my invention and the preferred means for carrying it out, what I claim is 1. A turpentine-still comprising a retort .having two delivery-pipes connected therewith, one of the pipes being provided with an automatically-operating valve and the other with a manually-operated valve,substantially as described.

2. A turpentine-still comprising a retort having two delivery-pipes connected therewith, one of the pipes being provided with an automatically-operating valve and a manually-operated valve and the other pipe being provided with a manually-operated valve, substantially as described.

3. A turpentine-distilling apparatus comprising a retort having two openings, two condensers and pipes connecting the respective condensers with the respective openings in the retort, one of said pipes being provided with an automatically-operating valve controlled by the internal pressure of the retort, and the other with a man ually-operated valve, whereby the products of the still are first automatically delivered to one of the condensers and the further products of distillation can be delivered to the other condenser and the difierent volatile products of the still thereby separated, substantially in the manner set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. KRUG.

Witnesses:

F. L. FREEMAN, ALEXANDER S. STEUART. 

